Covering for desk top and the like



Sept. 1, 1959 E. c. OAKES COVERING FOR DESK TOP AND THE LIKE Filed April 23, 1958 INVENTOR.

EDWIN C. CAKES BY fl We ATTORNEYS United States Patent Cflfice Patented Sept. 1, 1959 COVERING FOR DESK TOP AND THE LIKE Edwin C. Oakes, Ypsilanti, Mich.

Application April 23, 1958, Serial No. 730,495

Claims. (Cl. 4568.3)

This invention relates generally to covers for the tops of desks, tables and the like, and refers more particularly to a covering for the top of a school desk or table.

Heretofore the tops of school desks and tables have been marred, defaced or damaged by the pupils using them, and thus the upper working surfaces of such desk tops have become unfit for further use.

:In the past, the marred desk tops have been refinished and placed in use again, but such refinishing operations are expensive and time consuming, and oftentimes cannot be accomplished until after the desks or tables have been removed entirely from the areas in which they were used.

In the present instance, I have overcome the difficulties heretofore experienced by providing a separate covering that includes a preformed durable, hard surfaced laminated plastic panel capable of resisting mutilation, and that also includes a marginal molding, preferably of extruded aluminum or metal capable first of being assembled readily with the panel to form a unit, and then capable of being attached easily and quickly by a minimum of fasteners to the top of a desk or table, so that such molding may serve both as a pilot and as an attaching means for the unit.

Another object is to provide a covering that compensates for dimension irregularities of the desk top and that is capable of being attached to desk tops of various makes and sizes.

Another object is to provide a covering that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and efiicient in use.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a school desk equipped with a covering embodying my invention, and showing parts broken away and in section.

' Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, through the structure illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective View of the marginal molding of the covering, with parts broken away and in section.

In the drawing, A is a school desk of conventional construction having a body provided with supporting legs 11 and a top 12.

' As shown, the body 14 of the desk has a bottom l3, and upright front, rear and side walls 14, 15 and 16 respectively. The top 12 has a front section 17 rigidly secured to the front and side walls 14 and 16, and has a rear section 18 connected by a hinge 19 to said front section 17. As usual, the front section 17 is horizontal and rests upon horizontal upper edge portions of the front and side walls 14 and 16, while the rear section 18 inclines downwardly and rearwardly and rests upon similarly inclined upper, edge portions ofthe rear and side Walls 15 and 16. The front and side edge portions of the front section 17 project laterally beyond the front and side walls 14 and 16 of the body, and the rear and side edge portions of the rear section 18 project laterally beyond the rear and side walls 15 and 16 of the body.

The covering B embodying my invention comprises two sections 2% and 21 respectively for attachment to the front and rear sections 17 and 18 respectively of the desk top.

The front section 20 of the covering comprises a preformed duraole, hard surfaced laminated plastic panel 22, and a marginal molding 23, preferably of extruded aluminum or metal, and the rear section 21 of the covering comprises a similar preformed panel 24 and a marginal molding 25.

As shown, the section 20 is designed to cover the upper surface and the front and side edges of the front section 17 of the desk top, while the section '21 is designed to cover the upper surface and the rear and side edges of the rear section 18 of the desk top.

Referring to the front section 2-1 of the covering, the panel 22 thereof is substantially equal in area to the area of the front section 17 of the desk top, and has inwardly inclined or beveled edges 26 on all sides thereof. The molding 23 of this section extends continuously about the front and side edges of the panel 22 and preferably has a continuous upright portion 27 bent into substantially U configuration and provided at opposite sides and at the base of the U with Vertically spaced longitudinally extending horizontal flanges 28 and 29 respectively that cooperate with the upright portion 27 to provide channel-shaped portions. Such upright portion 27 is also provided throughout its length above the upper flanges 28 with an upstanding flange 39 having an inclined inner surface 31 corresponding to and engaged by the adjacent inclined edges 26 of the panel 22. If desired, connecting recesses 22a may be provided in the underside of the Panel 22 at the margins thereof for the reception of the upper flanges 28. Staples 32 extending upwardly through the upper flanges 28 and engaging the panel 22 cooperate with said flanges 30 to effectively hold the panel 22 in assembled relation with the molding 23. Thus the molding 23 is secured to the panel 22 of the section 20 to provide a unit, and such unit may be easily and quickly attached to the front section 17 of the desk top by suitable screws 33 extending through the lower flanges 29 of the molding and engaging the laterally projecting edge portions of the front section 17 of said desk top.

Referring to the rear section 21 of the covering, the panel 24 thereof is substantially equal in area to the area of the rear section 18 of the desk top, and has inwardly inclined or beveled edges 40 on all sides thereof. The molding 25 of this section 21 extends continuously about the rear and side edges of the panel 24 and preferably has a continuous upright portion 41 bent into substantially U configuration and provided at opposite sides and at the base of the U with vertically spaced longitudinally extending horizontal flanges 42 and 43 that cooperate with the upright portion 41 to provide channel-shaped portions. Such upright portion 41 is also provided throughout its length above the upper flanges 42 with an upstanding flange 44 having an inclined inner surface 45 corre sponding to and engaged by the adjacent inclined edges 40 of the panel 24. If desired, connecting recesses 24a may be provided in the underside of the panel 24 at the margins thereof for the reception of the upper flanges 42. Staples 46 extending upwardly through the upper flanges 42 and engaging the panel 24 cooperates with said flanges 44 to effectively hold the panel 24 in assembled relation With the molding 25. Thus the molding 25 is secured to the panel 24, of the section 2l to provide a unit,

and such unit may be easily and quickly attached to the rear section 12 of the desk top by suitable screws 47 extending through the lower flanges 43 of the molding and engaging the laterally projecting edge portions of the rear section 18 of said vdesk top.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be apparent that the adjacent inclined or beveled edges '26 and 40 respectively of the panels 22 and 24 of the covering permit the rear section 18 of the desk top and section 21 of the covering to swing upwardly about the hinge 19, and that the front and rear sections 20 and 21 respectively of the covering may be easily and quickly attached by a minimum number of screws, such as 33 and 47 respectively to the front and rear sections 17 and 18 of the desk top. In this connection, the moldings 23 and 25 serve both as pilots and attaching means for the sections Hand 21 of the covering. In fact, the construction and arrangement of the upright portions 27 and 41 and flanges 28, 29, 42 and 43 of the sections 20 and 21 of the covering is such that such sections 20 and 21 will compensate for dimension irregularities and thereby will fit desk top sections of various makes and sizes.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A two-part covering unit for a substantially flat top of an article of furniture; comprising a preformed substantially flat rigid panel of plastic material adapted to be disposed in substantially parallel relation to said top, and a marginal metallic molding for said panel permanently united thereto and comprising a single horizontally extending upright flat strip provided at longitudinally spaced points thereof adjacent its upper edge with inwardly projecting horizontal flanges, said strip being U shape in plan whereby said horizontal flanges are located at the base and at opposite sides respectively of said U, said upright strip being provided throughout its length above and beyond opposite ends of said horizontal flanges with a continuous upstanding flange extending snugly around two corners and extending lengthwise of and snugly engaging three adjacent edge portions of said panel, the upper edge of said upstanding flange being substantially flush with the upper surface of said panel, said horizontal flanges being in a common horizontal plane and extending lengthwise of said strip, said horizontal flanges engaging recesses in the underside of said panel at the three adjacent edge portions thereof, the lower surfaces of said horizontal flanges being substantially flush with the underside of said panel, the means for permanently unit ing said molding to said panel being operable to retain the snug engagement of said upstanding flange with the il /V corners and the three adjacent edge portions aforesaid of said panel and comprising fasteners extending upwardly through longitudinally spaced apertures in said horizontal flanges and into said panel, the depth of said upright strip being substantially equal to the thickness of said top whereby said strip may overlie the edge portions of said top at two corners and three adjacent edge portions thereof and thereby serve as a pilot for said covering unit, and said horizontal flanges being adapted to overlie and rest upon the upper surface of said top and thereby position said panelrin substantially parallel relation to the upper surface of said top.

2. A two-par-t covering unit for a substantially flat top of an article of furniture; comprising a preformed sub stantially flat rigid panel of plastic material adapted to be disposed in substantially parallel relation to said top, and a marginal metallic molding for said panel permanently united thereto and comprising a single horizontally extending upright flat strip provided at longitudinally spaced points thereof adjacent its upper and lower edges with inwardly projecting vertically spaced horizontal flanges cooperating with said strip to form longitudinally spaced inwardly opening horizontally extending channelshaped portions, said strip being substantially U shape in plan whereby said channel-shaped portions are located at the base and opposite sides respectively of said U, said 4 upright strip being provided throughout its length above and beyond opposite ends of the uppermost of said horizontal flanges with a continuous upstanding flange extending snugly around two corners and extending lengthwise of and snugly against three adjacent edge portions of said panel, the upper edge of said upstanding flange being substantially flush with the upper surface of said panel, the uppermost of said horizontal flanges being in a common horizontal plane and extending lengthwise of said strip, the uppermost of said horizontal flanges engaging recesses in the underside of said panel at three adjacent edge por tions thereof, the lower surfaces of said uppermostflanges being substantially flush with the underside of said panel, the means for permanently uniting said molding to said panel being operable to retain the snug engagement of said upstanding flange with the two corners and the three adjacent edge portions aforesaid of said panel and comprising fasteners extending upwardly through longitudinally spaced apertures in said uppermost horizontal flanges and into said panel, the depth of said upright strip being substantially equal to the thickness of said top whereby said strip may overlie the edge portions of said top at two corners and three adjacent edge portions thereof and thereby serve as a pilot for said covering unit, the uppermost of said horizontal flanges being adapted to overlie and rest upon the upper surface of said top and thereby position said panel in substantially parallel relation to the upper surface of said top, the lowermost of said horizontal flanges being in a common horizontal plane and extending lengthwise of said strip, said lowermost flanges being adapted to underlie said top and being provided at longitudinally spaced points thereof with openings through which fasteners may be driven into the underside of said top to detachably secure said covering unit to said top.

3. A two-part covering unit for a substantially flat top of an article of furniture; comprising a preformed substantially flat rigid panel adapted to be disposed in sub stantially parallel relation to said top, and a marginal molding for said panel permanently united thereto and comprising a single horizon-tally extending upright flat strip provided at longitudinally spaced points thereof adjacent its upper edge with inwardly projecting horizontal flanges, said strip being U shape in plan whereby said horizontal flanges are located at the base and at opposite sides respectively of said U, said upright strip being provided throughout its length above and beyond opposite ends of said horizontal flanges with a continuous upstanding flange extending snugly around two corners and extending lengthwise of and snugly against three adjacent edge portions of said panel, the upper edge of said upstanding flange being substantially flush with the upper surface of said panel, said horizontal flanges being in a common horizontal plane and extending lengthwise of said strip, said horizontal flanges underlying and constituting seats for said panel at the three adjacent edge portions aforesaid thereof, the means for permanently uniting said molding to said panel being operable to retain the snug engagement of said upstanding flange with the two corners and the three adjacent edge portions aforesaid of said panel and comprising fasteners extending upwardly through longitudinally spaced apertures in said horizontal flanges and into said panel, the depth of said upright strip being substantially equal to the thickness of said top whereby said strip may overlie the edge portions of said top at two corners and three adjacent edge portions thereof and thereby serve as a pilot for said covering unit, and said horizontal flanges being adapted to overlie the upper surface of said top and thereby position said panel in,

substantially parallel relation to the upper surface of said top.

4. A two-part covering unit'for a substantially flat top of an article of furniture; comprising a preformed substantially flat rigid panel adapted to be disposed in substantially parallel relation to said top, and a marginal molding for said panel permanently united thereto and comprising a single horizontally extending upright flat strip provided at longitudinally spaced points thereof adjacent its upper and lower edges with inwardly projecting vertically spaced horizontal flanges cooperating with said strip to form longitudinally spaced inwardly opening horizontally extending channel-shaped portions, said strip being substantially U shape in plan whereby said channel-shaped portions are located at the base and at opposite sides respectively of said U, said upright strip being provided throughout its length above and beyond opposite ends of the uppermost of said horizontal flanges with a continuous upstanding flange extending snugly around two corners and extending lengthwise of and snugly against three adjacent edge portions of said panel, the upper edge of said upstanding flange being substantially flush with the upper surface of said panel, the uppermost of said horizontal flanges being in a common horizontal plane and extending lengthwise of said strip, said uppermost horizontal flanges underlying and constituting seats for said panel at three adjacent edge portions thereof, the means for permanently uniting said molding to said panel being operable to retain the snug engagement of said upstanding flange with the two corners and the three adjacent edge portions aforesaid of said panel and comprising fasteners extending upwardly through longitudinally spaced apertures in said uppermost horizontal flanges and into said panel, the depth of said upright strip being substantially equal to the thickness of said top whereby said strip may overlie the edge portions of said top at two corners and three adjacent edge portions thereof and thereby serve as a pilot for said covering unit, the uppermost of said horizontal flanges being adapted to overlie the upper surface of said top and thereby position said panel in susbtantially parallel relation to the upper surface of said top, the lowermost of said horizontal flanges being in a common horizontal plane and extending lengthwise of said strip, said lowermost flanges being adapted to underlie said top and being provided at longitudinally spaced points thereof with openings through which fasteners may be driven into the underside of said top to detachably secure said covering unit to said top.

5. A two-part covering unit for a substantially flat top of an article of furniture; comprising a preformed substantially flat rigid panel adapted to be disposed in substantially parallel relation to said top, and a marginal molding for said panel having throughout its length a single horizontally extending upright flat strip provided adjacent its upper edge with laterally projecting horizontal flanges, said horizontal flanges being in a common horizontal plane and extending lengthwise of said strip, said strip being U shape in plan whereby said horizontal flanges are located at the base and at opposite sides respectively of said U, said marginal molding also having throughout its length above and integral with said horizontal flanges a continuous upstanding flange ex-- tending around two corners and extending lengthwise of three adjacent edge portions of said panel, said upstanding flange being provided at the inner side thereof throughout its length with a continuous portion overlying and snugly engaging portions of said panel at said two comers and said three adjacent edge portions thereof and cooperating with the horizontal flanges aforesaid to retain said panel against vertical displacement relative to said molding, the depth of said upright strip being susbtantially equal to the thickness of said top whereby said upright strip may overlie the edge portions of said top at two corners and three adjacent edge portions thereof and thereby serve as a pilot for said covering unit, and said horizontal flanges underlying and constituting seats for said panel at the three adjacent edge portions aforesaid thereof and being at a predtermined height on said upright strip to position said panel in sub stantially parallel relation to the upper surface of said top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

